Overview

One of the most significant individuals in history, Luther’s contribution to the Protestant Reformation cannot be understated. This collection offers essential texts such as select works by Luther in a modern translation, resources on his theological growth, and confessional documents produced during his lifetime. Explore his doctrine of the church, notion of Christian liberty, views on worship, and beliefs about the role of the state. Learn about his views on the Jews, his exegetical writings, and how he moved away from medieval Catholicism. Covering a variety of subjects within Luther studies, this collection enables you to deepen your understanding of Luther and his legacy.

In the Logos edition, these volumes are enhanced by amazing functionality. Important terms link to dictionaries, encyclopedias, and a wealth of other resources in your digital library. Perform powerful searches to find exactly what you’re looking for. Take the discussion with you using tablet and mobile apps. With Logos Bible Software, the most efficient and comprehensive research tools are in one place, so you get the most out of your study.

Martin Luther, the Bible, and the Jewish People: A Reader

The place and significance of Martin Luther in the long history of Christian anti-Jewish polemic has been and continues to be a contested issue. It is true that Luther’s anti-Jewish rhetoric intensified toward the end of his life, but reading Luther with a careful eye toward “the Jewish question,” it becomes clear that Luther’s theological presuppositions toward Judaism and the Jewish people are a central, core component of his thought throughout his career, not just at the end. It follows then that it is impossible to understand the heart and building blocks of Luther’s theology without acknowledging the crucial role of “the Jews” in his fundamental thinking.

Luther was constrained by ideas, images, and superstitions regarding the Jews and Judaism that he inherited from medieval Christian tradition. But the engine in the development of Luther’s theological thought as it relates to the Jews is his biblical hermeneutics. Just as “the Jewish question” is a central, core component of his thought, so biblical interpretation (and especially Old Testament interpretation) is the primary arena in which fundamental claims about the Jews and Judaism are formulated and developed.

Written by two distinguished Lutheran scholars, one an expert on the Hebrew Bible, the other an authority on the Reformation, this volume makes an invaluable contribution to our understanding of a central—yet little understood—dimension of Luther’s writings: the place of Jews and Judaism in the Reformer’s thought. Quickly dismantling the accepted but false notion that this aspect of Luther was important to him only at the end of his life, Schramm and Stjerna prove that it was in fact an abiding theme in his writings. The texts they choose to translate and introduce demonstrate that this concern was one, in fact, that pervaded the entirety of his career. Beautifully contextualized socially and theologically, these documents are also expertly translated from the Latin and German. This superb and timely collection of texts will be of interest not only to Luther and Reformation specialists and teachers but to historians of Jewish-Christian relations and of the history of interpretation of the Bible.

With great precision and clarity, this reader re-opens and decisively advances the discussion of Luther’s relationship to the Jews. Indispensable for all future study of this vexed question.

—Denis R. Janz, provost distinguished professor of the history of Christianity, Loyola University

Brooks Schramm is a professor of biblical studies at Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg. He is the author of The Opponents of Third Isaiah and with Kirsi Stjerna, Spirituality: Toward a Twenty-First Century Understanding.

Kirsi I. Stjerna is a professor of Reformation church history and the director of the Institute for Luther Studies at Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg. She is the author of No Greater Jewel: Luther on Baptism and Women and the Reformation.

On Christian Liberty

This timeless little classic communicates essential teachings of Martin Luther. The subject of freedom is both timely and poignantly relevant today. For the Christian, this freedom is liberty from sin and death, and the opportunity to serve one’s neighbor. Written in a simple style, On Christian Liberty conveys significant spiritual insight into the grace of God and liberating faith in Christ Jesus. It is counter-cultural and down-to-earth for today’s reader.

Martin Luther stands as one of the most significant figures in Western history. His distinction as the father of the Protestant Reformation is augmented by his innovative use of new technology (the printing press), his translation of the Christian Bible into the vernacular, and his impact upon European society. Born in 1483 to middle-class parents in Saxony, eastern Germany, he became an Augustinian monk, a priest, a professor of biblical literature, a reformer, a husband and father. He died in 1546 after having witnessed the birth of a renewal movement that would result in a profound shift in faith, politics, and society. He has been both praised and vilified for what he preached and wrote. His thought continues to influence all Christians and to animate the movement that bears his name.

The Freedom of a Christian: Luther Study Edition

Perhaps no work of Martin Luther’s so captures the revolutionary zeal and theological boldness of his vision as The Freedom of a Christian . Yet, it is not easily accessible today. Mark Tranvik’s new translation of Luther’s treatise brings alive the social, historical, and ecclesial context of Luther’s treatise. This is the first of a set of student guides to key Reformation treatises by Martin Luther, concentrating on those most widely used in college settings. Features include:

An informative introduction that lays out the context of Luther’s writing

A modern, student-friendly translation of the text of Luther’s Letter to Pope Leo X and The Freedom of a Christian

Frequent headings to guide the student’s reading and comprehension

Student-oriented notes to explain theological controversies and terms

A glossary of key theological and ecclesial terms

A map of Reformation Europe in the sixteenth century

Ten black and white illustrations

A short "For Further Reading" list

The Freedom of a Christian, Martin Luther’s first programmatic presentation of his understnading of the justification of sinners by faith and their subsequent life of good works, offers the best access to Luther’s understanding of what it means to be a human creature...

Martin Luther stands as one of the most significant figures in Western history. His distinction as the father of the Protestant Reformation is augmented by his innovative use of new technology (the printing press), his translation of the Christian Bible into the vernacular, and his impact upon European society. Born in 1483 to middle-class parents in Saxony, eastern Germany, he became an Augustinian monk, a priest, a professor of biblical literature, a reformer, a husband and father. He died in 1546 after having witnessed the birth of a renewal movement that would result in a profound shift in faith, politics, and society. He has been both praised and vilified for what he preached and wrote. His thought continues to influence all Christians and to animate the movement that bears his name.

Mark D. Tranvik is Associate Professor of Religion at Augsburg College, Minneapolis, and director of the Lilly Endowment program on vocation there.

Treatise on Good Works

Luther’s transformational idea of justification by faith alone was often misunderstood and misrepresented in the early years of the Reformation. In 1520, with his Wittenberg congregation in mind, Luther set out to clarify the biblical foundation of good works. In doing so he recast the very definitions of “sacred” and “secular” both for his own generation and ours.

With his extensive grasp of Luther’s thought and time, Hendrix offers readers his insights into the ways the Wittenberg reformer addressed some of the most vital elements of Luther’s critical pamphlet, a part of his programatic call for reform of 1520. An introduction which places this work in theological and historical context, along with helpful notes, guides readers through the sensitive and nuanced translation. Treatise on Good Works is ideal for use in college or seminary classrooms and in congregational study groups.

Martin Luther stands as one of the most significant figures in Western history. His distinction as the father of the Protestant Reformation is augmented by his innovative use of new technology (the printing press), his translation of the Christian Bible into the vernacular, and his impact upon European society. Born in 1483 to middle-class parents in Saxony, eastern Germany, he became an Augustinian monk, a priest, a professor of biblical literature, a reformer, a husband, and father. He died in 1546 after having witnessed the birth of a renewal movement that would result in a profound shift in faith, politics, and society. He has been both praised and vilified for what he preached and wrote. His thought continues to influence all Christians and to animate the movement that bears his name.

Scott H. Hendrix is an emeritus professor of Reformation history and theology at Princeton Theological Seminary. He earned a PhD in Reformation studies from Tübingen University in Germany, and has chaired the Continuation Committee of the International Congress for Luther Research. Among his many publications are Luther and Martin Luther: A Very Short Introduction.

Martin Luther: A Life

Martin Luther: A Life tells the dramatic story of the renegade monk whose heroic personal struggle ignited a revolution and shook Christendom to its foundations.

Through vivid anecdotes and lively historical descriptions,Martin Luther: A Life captures the turbulent times and historic events through which Luther lived as well as his profound vision of God. A fast-moving narrative, it shows how his stinging criticisms of the Christian church struck a deep and liberating chord in the German people and led to the momentous change we know as the Reformation.

For all who wish to understand Luther the man, the rebel, and the visionary, James Nestingen’s account also offers insight into Luther’s momentous contributions to the Western world and his personal encounter with God, the Christian scriptures, and the relentless demands of his own conscience.

James A. Nestingen is professor of Church History at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota.

The Theology of Martin Luther

This is a comprehensive and systematic survey of Martin Luther’s entire thought by an internationally recognized authority in the field of Reformation research. The main theological questions which engaged the Reformer’s attention are set forth in clear and simple fashion, along with a host of quotations from this own writings to illumine the presentation. Scholars and laypersons alike will appreciate the more than a thousand instances in which the author allows Luther to speak forcefully and directly for himself.

It is likely to remain a standard source book for American theologians for some time to come.

—Dialog

Paul Althaus was author of numerous books and articles, including Fact and Faith in the Kergma of Today and The Divine Command. He was Professor of Theology at the University of Erlangen, Germany.

Martin Luther’s Theology: Its Historical and Systematic Development

This definitive analysis of the theology of Martin Luther surveys its development during the crises of Luther’s life, then offers a systematic survey by topics. Containing a wealth of quotations from less-known writings by Luther and written in a way that will interest both scholar and novice, Lohse’s magisterial volume is the first to evaluate Luther’s theology in both ways. Lohse’s historical analysis takes up Luther’s early exegetical works and then his debates with traditions important to him in the context of the various controversies leading up to his dispute with the Antinomians. The systematic treatment shows how the meaning of ancient Christian doctrines took their place within the central teaching of justification by faith.

Bernhard Lohse was one of the top Luther scholars in the twentieth century, and this book is the rich harvest of a lifetime of Luther study. It is the best survey of Luther’s theology in any language and supersedes all previous studies...

—Scott H. Hendrix, Princeton Theological Seminary

Bernhard Lohse (1928–1997) was a preeminent church historian and Professor of Church History and Historical Theology at the University of Hamburg.

Martin Luther’s Catechisms: Forming the Faith

Reformation scholar Timothy Wengert has studied Luther’s catechisms for the light they shed on the maturing Reformation faith but also for the fascinating lens they afford into the social world of Wittenberg in those years: children, clergy, education and publishing, marriage customs, devotion and prayer, and celebration of the Lord’s Supper in this period, along with Luther’s own hearty faith, are all illumined by these Western classics.

In this volume, which also includes the texts of the catechisms, Wengert follows the traditional catechism order to demonstrate the dynamic faith exhibited in the catechisms in their original context and ours. An ideal resource for college and seminary classes, as well as individual and group reading, this volume will be a valued vehicle for understanding Reformation faith for many years to come.

In the risky sea of spiritual self-help books, Wengert’s retrieval and exposition of Luther’s basic educational tools is a pedagogical lifeboat. It will steer readers to a reform of intergenerational Christian education.

The Theology of Martin Luther: A Critical Assessment

Author: Hans-Martin Barth

Translator: Linda M. Maloney

Publisher: Augsburg Fortress

Publication Date: 2012

Pages: 600

Does Martin Luther have anything to say to us today? Nearly five hundred years after the beginning of the Reformation, Hans-Martin Barth explores that question in this comprehensive and critical evaluation of Luther’s theology. Rich in its extent and in its many facets, Barth’s didactically well-planned work begins with clarifications about obsolete and outdated images of Luther that could obstruct access to the Reformer.

The second part covers the whole of Martin Luther’s theology. Having divided Luther’s theology into twelve subsections, Barth ends each one of these with an honest and frank assessment of what today can be salvaged and what’s got to go. In the final section he gives his summation: an honestly critical appropriation of Luther’s theology can still be existentially inspiring and globally relevant for the twenty-first century.

Like a scalpel, Hans-Martin Barth’s The Theology of Martin Luther exposes, analyzes, and evaluates the unique body of Luther’s theology. It provides, like never before, criteria for a realistic celebration of five centuries of Luther research (1517–2017).

Barth’s forthrightly critical but passionately appreciative reading of Luther in the context of the late-twentieth and early-twenty-first centuries models how we may fruitfully engage Luther’s discerning, perceptive reading of Scripture and sensitivity to the human struggle in ways that speak to the people of our time, who live in a vastly different world than his.

This magnificent study offers an honest and compassionately critical account of Martin Luther’s ‘provocative theology of existence’ with its tensions and integrative possibilities for future generations. Hans-Martin Barth is bringing Luther back to the ecumenical center, especially with the reformer’s Trinitarian foundations, and invites the readers to contemplate on what of Luther may endure for the future, and to whom. An indispensable companion for teachers and students alike, now available in an engaging English translation.

—Kirsi Stjerna, professor of Reformation church history Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg

Hans-Martin Barth is an emeritus professor of systematic theology and philosophy of religion, Philipps-University Marburg, Germany, and a former president of the Evangelical Alliance. He is the author of many works including Dogmatic: Protestant Faith in the Context of World Religions, 3rd edition and Authentic Feel: Impetus to a New Self-Understanding of Christianity.

Resilient Reformer: The Life and Thought of Martin Luther

Interest in Martin Luther’s life and thought remains high, and each generation brings its own set of questions to the task. This biography, begun by Timothy F. Lull and capably finished by Derek R. Nelson, is marked for its fresh, winsome, and invigorating style—one undoubtedly shaped by the years that each author spent in undergraduate and seminary classrooms.

In this telling, Luther is an energetic, resilient actor, driven by very human strengths and failings, always wishing to do right by his understanding of God and the witness of the Scriptures. Luther is portrayed here more as a loud tenor in a Reformation chorale than as a solo voice of dissent against church and empire—as he and his work are closely linked with his many collaborators. At times humorous, always realistic, and appropriately critical when necessary, Lull and Nelson tell the story of an amazing, unforgettable life, one that impacted our world in countless ways.

The work of establishing a credible ‘historical Luther’ is important, if only to assure that we encounter the real thing rather than someone’s hero or villain. Lull and Nelson do this hard work. Their book is rooted in scads of research, both in the primary sources (especially the letter correspondence) as well as the vast secondary literature. But they do not leave Luther in the sixteenth century. The point of their genuinely critical inquiry is to sift the historical Luther honestly in terms of acknowledged contemporary concerns. That produces an account that is genuinely significant, with an acute treatment of painful issues like Luther and the Jews but also endearing glimpses at Luther as a family man. In this way the book in a unique way blends the story of Luther’s traumatic life in with a fresh interpretation of his thought.

Luther is alive on the pages of this intellectual biography that is both well researched and an engaging read. Dr. Derek Nelson has brought to a commendable conclusion the original work of the late Dr. Timothy Lull. A biography like this, focusing on the theological drama while presenting the very human Luther, and his associates, fills a vacuum. Students and teachers alike will be happy to use this labor of love!

The writers of Resilient Reformer make a good case for seeing the reformer as both a powerful speaker to his own age and a pastor to ours. The book is well researched, free of ideology and polemics, and deeply sympathetic to those who knew Luther in his own time.

The Substance of Faith: Luther’s Doctrinal Theology for Today

p>This useful and insightful volume aims to illustrate, espouse, and renew the discipline of doctrinal theology, particularly as exemplified historically by Martin Luther and his theological reflection on the Trinity.

The authors, steeped both in Luther’s works and in the doctrinal tradition, show how dogmatics in the Lutheran tradition entails a delicate juxtaposition of credal commitment, scriptural interpretation, and doctrinal elaboration. Their respective chapters retrieve surprising historical insights about Luther’s own practice of doctrinal theology, the interaction of the credal and doctrinal dimensions with a nuanced hermeneutic of scripture, and the future shape of a doctrinal theology genuinely responsive to the gospel and the present age.

The Substance of the Faith addresses a topic that has become increasingly important in recent years within Luther research: Luther’s essential reflections on Trinity and Christology. The authors’ way of dealing with the core distinctions of these matters opens up their meaning to any interested reader and reveals their importance at the heart of Lutheranism and of Christianity itself.

—Anna Vind, Faculty of Theology, University of Copenhagen

Dennis Bielfeldt is Professor of Philosophy and Religion at South Dakota State University in Brookings.

Paul R. Hinlicky is Tice Professor of Lutheran Studies at Roanoke College in Virginia.

Mickey L. Mattox is Assistant Professor of Theology at Marquette University and a specialist in the theology of Martin Luther.

Fruit for the Soul: Luther on the Lament Psalms

Given a life spent in scholarship and controversy, it is easy to forget how much energy Martin Luther devoted to helping the common person understand and take comfort from God’s word. This commitment extended to even the most challenging of biblical texts, and nowhere is this more apparent than Luther’s work on the lament psalms. Difficult to understand, and perhaps even more difficult to implement in life and devotion, the lament psalms played a key role in Luther’s thought. More importantly, the lament psalms were for Luther an essential part of the Christian’s understanding of the life of faith.

In this volume, Dennis Ngien helps contemporary readers engage Luther’s commentary on the lament psalms. What Luther intended for the education and encouragement of everyday Christians, Ngien unpacks and illuminates for life in the twenty-first century.

Dennis Ngien is professor of systematic theology at Tyndale University College and Seminary and research professor of theology at Wycliffe College, University of Toronto. He is the author of several books, including Gifted Response, and Luther as a Spiritual Adviser.

True Faith in the True God: An Introduction to Luther’s Life and Thought, Revised and Expanded Edition

Most biographers of Martin Luther are faced with a choice—focus on Luther’s life or focus on his thought. The choice, though real, is false. Luther’s thought was inextricably bound up with his life. In this short, engaging volume, Hans Schwarz succeeds in blending the two—creating a volume that introduces Luther’s thought in the context of his life story.

True Faith in the True God meets the need for a clear and concise introduction to Luther’s life and teachings. After a brief overview of his life, the book examines Luther’s thoughts on key areas of the Christian faith and life, including the knowledge of God, church and sacraments, the Scriptures, marriage and parenthood, and vocation. Schwarz incorporates quotations from Luther’s own writings to show how Luther’s insights have relevance for all Christians today. With questions for reflection and discussion, this book can be used as a study resource for individuals, church groups, or college and seminary classes.

At once both accessible and substantial, True Faith in the True God is an engaging presentation of key aspects of Luther’s theology with an eye toward how it is that the Reformer’s evangelical teaching continues to instruct and challenge in the twenty-first century. Schwarz is conversant with contemporary Luther scholarship and he has distilled it in a format that will be helpful to students, pastors, and laity interested in deepening their understanding of Martin Luther.

—John T. Pless, Concordia Theological Seminary

Who else but Hans Schwarz could give us such a thorough and readable combination of Luther’s story and his teaching? He is able to cover all relevant subjects in a way that will interest a wide variety of readers—from those that are just beginning theology to those who are working on degrees. . . . It takes a great theologian and historian like Schwarz to bring Luther’s whole life and teaching into focus this way. This book will be treasured for years because of this accomplishment, and so we are grateful that it has arrived in our time.

When someone asks me, ‘what can I read to learn more about Luther’s theology?’ My answer is always the same: ‘Read True Faith in the True God by Hans Schwarz.’ It’s the most accessible and readable introduction to Luther that I know. Schwarz’s encyclopedic knowledge of Luther is readily apparent. He shares his love for and knowledge of Luther in a way that preserves all of Luther’s complexity while remaining readable. Schwarz is a master teacher!

The Lutheran Confessions: History and Theology of The Book of Concord

From their formulation in the sixteenth century through the present day, every generation of Lutheran leadership has grappled with the centrality and importance of the Lutheran confessional writings. In this important new volume, Arand, Kolb, and Nestingen bring the fruit of an entire generation of scholarship to bear on these documents, making it an essential and up-to-date class text. The Lutheran Confessions places the documents solidly within their political, social, ecclesiastical, and theological contexts, relating them to the world in which they took place, and assists readers in understanding the issues at stake in the narratives, both in their own time and in ours.

Confessional commitment, ecclesiastical identity, and scholarly expertise characterize this concise, yet incisive, analysis of the historical setting and theological content of the Lutheran Confessions in light of contemporary scholarship. The volume serves as a valuable companion to The Book of Concord, and it will be a welcome resource for all students of the Lutheran confessional documents, both in the parish and in an academic setting.

In this volume, Arand, Nestingen, and Kolb, as internationally recognized premier scholars of the Lutheran Confessions, bring the harvest of the past quarter century research into the hands of readers. As they give a detailed historical account of the fascinating stories behind The Book of Concord with their own theological insight, readers will be drawn not only into the content but even more importantly into the mind of the Confessions and the way in which they taught and confessed Jesus Christ. The Lutheran Confessions: History and Theology of the Book of Concord will make a remarkable and lasting contribution to a new generation of students, scholars, and pastors, and assist them in confessing Christ in the twenty-first century America and the world.

Charles P. Arand is a professor of systematic theology at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. His recent publications include The Genius of Luther’s Theology.

Robert Kolb is Emeritus Mission Professor of Systematic Theology and director of the Institute for Mission Studies at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. Among his many publications are The Book of Concord and Martin Luther: Confessor of the Faith.

James A. Nestingen is emeritus professor of church history at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. He is a nationally recognized Luther scholar as well as a popular speaker and lecturer. Nestingen is the author of numerous books, including Martin Luther: A Life and Sources and Contexts of The Book of Concord.

Luther the Reformer: The Story of the Man and His Career

Engaging and authoritative, Kittleson’s important and popular biography is here—represented with a new cover and new preface by the author. His single-volume biography has become a standard resource for those who wish to delve into the depths of the Reformer without drowning in a sea of scholarly concerns.

The best complete biography of Luther for our times.

—Lewis W. Spitz, Stanford University

James M. Kittleson is Professor of Church History and Director of the Lutheran Brotherhood Foundation Reformation Research Program at Luther Seminary.

The Book of Concord

Editors: Robert Kolb and Timothy J. Wengert

Publisher: Augsburg Fortress

Publication Date: 2000

Commissioned in 1993, the print edition of this translation of The Book of Concord (which is the basis for the electronic version) brings a new generation of scholarship and sensitivities to bear on the foundational texts of Lutheran identity. The fifth English translation since 1851, the print edition succeeds that edited by Theodore Tappert published in 1959 by Muhlenburg Press.

A review of the text in light of a mountain of new scholarship and other factors dictated the new translation and apparatus, including changes in the English language over the past forty years, differences in the training and preparation of seminarians and pastors, limitations in the introductions and annotations to the various parts of the book, new knowledge of the history and theology of these very documents, and the occasional error in Tappert’s translation.

Kolb and Wengert’s team of leading Reformation historians was augmented by consultation with one hundred other scholars and teachers who use The Book of Concord continually, and two other teams of scholars who have reviewed the translations.

Robert Kolb is Missions Professor of Systematic Theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.

Timothy J. Wengert is Professor of Church History at Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia and editor with Robert Kolb of The Book of Concord (Fortress Press, 2000).

Luther and the Hungry Poor: Gathered Fragments

Samuel Torvend’s original and important reconstruction of the emergence of Luther’s and the early Reformation church’s response to the poor gathers fragments from across Luther’s early writings. He uncovers a striking counter-image to the usual portrait of a quietist orientation that left the world to deal with its own problems. Instead, he finds that Luther’s concern emerged early in his career, centered around hunger and the hungry poor, and was deeply rooted in his encounter with the Bible and with the sacramental character of the local church.

. . . As a result of Torvend’s research, we see what seems almost inarguably to have been there all along: the axiomatic alignment of justification with justice, the Eucharist with social ethics, the Word with works of love, and baptism with our bond to the human community.

—John Arthur Nunes, President and CEO of Lutheran World Relief

Samuel Torvend is Associate Professor of European Religious History at Pacific Lutheran University (Tacoma, WA). He has served as adjunct professor of Liturgical Studies in the School of Theology and Ministry at Seattle University and St. Mary’s University (Winona, MN).

About Martin Luther

Martin Luther (1483–1546), one of the most significant figures in Western history, was the key figure in the Protestant Reformation. Over the course of his life, Luther was a monk, a priest, a professor of biblical literature, a Reformer, a husband, and a father.

Luther is most noted for his Ninety-Five Theses (1517), in which he argued that indulgences were not acts of penance which could replace true repentance. His refusal to retract all his writings, demanded by Pope Leo X in 1520 and the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V at the Diet of Worms in 1521, resulted in his excommunication by the pope and condemnation as an outlaw by the emperor.

Luther has been both praised and vilified for what he preached and wrote. Luther’s translation of the Christian Bible into the vernacular greatly influenced the church. His works continue to impact all Christians and animate the movement that bears his name.